Untold Tales
by Tohrusempai
Summary: In Mystic Falls there are always new stories to tell. However some details are left out or forgotten. These are the tales that don't always get told but they still happened. These are the tales of how some our key players came to be. A series of short stories centering on the original family,Katherine,the early days of the Salvatore family and Elena Gilbert's beginning.
1. The Wolf And The Maiden Part 1

Has anyone ever noticed that this show has lots of back story but sometimes we don't always get all the details?

Well I've decided to try filling in some of those missing pieces. We begin with Ester and how she first met Klaus's birth father.

The Wolf and The Maiden Part 1

The howling had stopped.

It was the lack of noise that woke Ester from the uneasy sleep she'd fallen into.

Cautiously she inched forward on the tree branch she'd been huddled on all night and peered through the early morning fog to the ground below.

She had expected to see the wolf peering back at her with hungry eyes,instead there was man curled up at the base of the tree seemingly asleep.

His chest rose and fell in a slow,even rhythm and Ester could faintly make out soft snores.

Yes. He was definitely asleep.

Ester slowly began her descent from the tree,to escape quickly she tried stay as quiet as humanly possible.

Unfortunately she had never been much of a climber and she quickly found herself slipping, though she manged to tighten her grip her foot missed the next branch.

For a moment she was standing on air and the next she was falling.

"oof!"

She'd landed on something warm. Something warm and _breathing._

His chest. She had landed right on top of the man's chest, just _great._

He would most certainly be awake now and her chance to slip off quietly was long gone.

"Err...Good morning?"

Ester tensed,yes he was definitely awake.

She raised her head and found him staring back her,his grey-green eyes wide with surprise.

"Um...Morning."

An awkward silence settled over the couple,neither really knowing how to continue.

Finally he spoke.

"Could I get up now?"

Ester suddenly realized she was straddling him and heat rushed up her neck to her cheeks.

"Oh! Yes,I'm sorry!"

She hastily scrambled to her feet and as she did so she realized that he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing!

He rose in one fluid movement and Ester quickly averted her gaze to preserve some of his modesty,although he didn't seem all that troubled by his nakedness.

"I...Did I hurt you?"

His question caught her off guard,she had,of course realized that he was the wolf that had chased her until dawn but she had not expected concern nor gentleness from him.

After all Ayana had always told her that the wolves were heartless monsters,killers with no hint remorse for anyone but their own.

She turned to face him,keeping her gaze firmly on his eyes.

"No,why...?"

He was not looking at her face,instead he was looking at her arms. Angry red scrapes covered her arms and hands. Ester had been so preoccupied by...well _him_ that she hadn't even noticed the injury.

"It must have happened when I fell. It was the branches I suppose..."

He let out a relived sigh.

He seemed about to say more when a shout shattered the early morning peace.

"ESTER!"

Ester felt her heart leap into her throat before settling back into her chest.

_Mikael_.

Her husband had likely been out searching for her all night,despite the fact that it had been a full moon. Mikael would do anything for his family,no matter what danger lay in his path. That was just how he was.

But...how would she ever explain what she was doing all alone with a naked man?

She turned back toward the man,ready to tell him to run before Mikael saw him,but he was already retreating into the forest without so much as a goodbye.

Ayana's home was small but cozy,Ester had always loved it.

Just now Ayana was scurrying about plucking potions and herbs from the over stuffed shelves while Ester sat at the window using a damp cloth to clean her injured arms.

Ester's sons,three-year old Elijah and two-year old Finn, slept at her side while Mikael leaned against one wall watching warily.

Ayana was a witch and the village healer. Ester had always believed that witches were evil and fearsome,she still could remember the stories her father told when she was a girl.

In the stories witches were all-powerful and delighted in causing chaos,but Ayana was the exact opposite. She was strict but kind and,as Ester had discovered over,an excellent teacher.

What had surprised Ester even more than good witches was that _she herself was a witch._

Though she was not nearly as strong as Ayana she was learning,Ayana was teaching her everything she needed to know. Oh if papa could see her now!

He would not be pleased,he'd force her to stop,he'd yell and he'd hit her. Papa always got violent when things didn't go his way,but that no longer mattered.

He'd succumbed to the plague just like mama and Rosalind.

_Rosalind._Even now,almost three years later there were still times that Ester missed her daughter. Prehaps she would always miss her.

Ayana came over,arms full of white linen and herbs,and sat at Ester's side.

"What _were _you doing out after moonrise anyway?"

"I..." Ester's words died before they reached her lips. What could she possibly say? That she'd been curious about the wolves? That she'd intentionally sought them out even though she knew better?

Ayana didn't wait for an answer. "In any case you were lucky...this time. I trust you've learned your lesson?"

Ayana's dark eyes seemed to pierce her,Ester averted her gaze. "...Yes."

Ester watched silently as Ayana bound her injured arms with strips of soft white cloth.

Had she learned her lesson? Ester couldn't be sure,not when she couldn't forget the kindness in those grey-green eyes.


	2. The Wolf And The Maiden Part 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A month had gone by since Ester's misadventure. Everything was the same. Nothing was the same. Though the days went by as usual,Ester found herself unable to forget the man who was also a wolf.

When she spoke of this to Ayana,the healer assured her that in time she _would_ forget him but Ester wasn't so sure. Not when he seemed to be everywhere.

The first time she saw him after that morning was on the road in-between the human village and the smaller village(if you could even call it that,it was more of a small huddle of huts in a clearing)that had been set aside for the wolves. It was dusk and she'd been returning from treating a patient when she saw him. He was with a woman who must have been his wife or lover,for he was gazing at her in the way that you might look at the love of your life. Ester felt her heart sink though at the time she didn't understand passed by each other without so much as a word or a glance.

The second time she saw him was at the spring festival,it was one of the few occasions that both villages set aside whatever feuds they might have and celebrated 'd worn a new gown and flowers in her hair,Mikael drank heartily with his hunting companions,and the boys ran and played with the other village long Mikael rose from his table and strode toward her.

"May I have this dance,sweet maiden?" His breath smelled strongly of wine.

"You've drunk too much again,dear"

Mikael pretended to pout "It is a day of celebration darling,and I shall drink as I please."

Ester only smiled and kissed his cheek,he was a stubborn man to be sure and he didn't often show his feelings unless he was drunk but she loved him all the village women often asked how she could love such a man but they didn't know Mikael as she did. While it was true that he had a temper and didn't often allow himself to partake in frivolous activities but when he was away from prying eyes Mikael could be gentle and loving. He simply wasn't the sociable type.

Mikael made a face "Dance with me milady or I shall be so lonely." he extended a hand and,laughing,Ester took it.

He spun her around and around in dizzying circles and then hoisted her into the air in one fell swoop. She laughed and threw her arms around his neck as she leaned in for a was then that she saw _him_,the wolf man. He was with his wife,a pretty if somewhat mousey girl with pale red hair and watery brown eyes,but he was not looking at his wife. He was looking right at Ester.

"Something the matter love?" Ester tore her gaze away from the wolf man and focused on her husband.

"Not a thing."

Putting the wolfman out of her mind,Ester held her husband tighter and kissed him passionately.

Two weeks past before she saw the wolf man again. This time she was helping Ayana with her healings when he appeared at Ayana's hut,he was supporting his wife who looked pale and quickly excused herself to vomit. The wolf man was frantic.

"A few days past she became ill,I thought it would pass quickly but..."

"Calm yourself good sir. Let me see to her." Ayana quickly took charge and led the woman into the hut,the wolfman to follow but Ayana blocked his path.

"It will go quicker without you hovering about."

He just stared as Ayana turned and disappeared into the hut,most likely he was in shock at hearing such blunt words from a woman but Ester could only smile. Ayana often had that effect on new patients,especially men.

"Don't take it personally. She's always like that."

He turned to her and for a moment neither said a word until finally he spoke.

"I don't belive we've been properly introduced. I'm James." he held out a hand and Ester hesitated only briefly before she shook it.

"I'm Ester."

Just then Ayana emerged from the hut with James's wife close behind,both women were smiling.

"It's nothing to worry about,merely the early signs of pregnancy" Ayana said.

James's eyes grew wide."Truely Cecillia? A child?"

The red head nodded happily. There were tears in her eyes. James,grinning from ear to ear,drew Cecillia close and embraced was happy news Ester knew,but she couldn't help but feel like a storm cloud had just rolled in and ruined a perfect day.

After that Cecillia became an almost permanent fixture at Ayana's house. She was always coming to Ayana for every little thing and to Ester she had become something of nuisance but it wasn't all bad. James was often over too and they were becoming good friends. It didn't hurt that he was handsome as long James and Ester had even begun to flirt playfully with one another(whenever Cecillia and Ayana _**weren't**_ around of course). While some might have scolded them for such behavior Ester felt,at the time,that it was fine, it _was_ only a game after all...or so Ester believed. She hadn't yet realized that the feelings growing between them were more than friendship,so she was unprepared for the day everything changed.

"Hello There."

Ester was picking elder flowers from Ayana's garden when she heard the voice.

"Hello mr. wolf" she didn't have to turn around to know it was James,she'd know his voice anywhere.

James hopped over the low fence that surrounded the garden and once again Ester couldn't help but stare at him.

He grinned wolfishly "Do you like what you see?"

"And who says I'm looking at you?"

"Who else could you possibly be looking at?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips "You're the one who's starring James."

"Yes I am milady and I like what I see"

Ester blushed and looked down "Well the both of us are already spoken for,sir."

" that is truly a pity."

Ester wasn't expecting what came next. James reached out and gently brushed her cheek with his finger."You are so beautiful" he mummered.

Before she could react he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Ester didn't know it at the time,but that kiss marked the beginning of the end.

**So what do you think? Please Review! The next chapter should conclude the tale of The Wolf and The Maiden and then it's on to the next tale which will be about Tatia,Klaus,and Elijah.**


	3. The Wolf And The Maiden Part 3

**Here's the last part of The Maiden And The Wolf.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or The Originals.**

Ester and James didn't speak or see each other for several months after the kiss,a decision that was made mostly by Ester. As much as she had enjoyed their kiss,Ester knew that what had happened in the garden couldn't be allowed to continue. After she still loved Mikael and she couldn't bare to see him hurt,especially not if she was the one to cause that even if she was often lonely due to Mikael's frequent absences(he was one of the best hunters in the village and as such he was often away on hunting trips,sometimes for several days at a time) and even though she liked James quite a lot,Ester vowed that they should remain only told all this and more to James,he'd argued of course but Ester had remained firm in her decision and in the end they had agreed,they'd be friends and nothing more. If only that promise could have been kept.

Weeks turned into months,Ester and James kept their promise. They made it a point to stay apart,if they should meet by some circumstance they were friendly and polite but nothing more. Even so sometimes they would catch the other starring,a glance over a shoulder or out the corner of an eye but never for more than a few seconds. That winter saw the birth of James and Cecillia's daughter,Ester was present at the birth (as was Ayana) to help deliver the babe and when she saw James with his wife and child she couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Still she refused to let it show and congratulated the new parents as was expected of her before she took her leave. For a time after that James seemed to be so wrapped up in his family that he seemed to have forgotten his affection for Ester and,foolishly,Ester came to belive that was the end of things with James. She couldn't have been more wrong.

* * *

It was spring and the buds were just starting to bloom when Ester made the first of two very big mistakes that would haunt her had just finished dressing for the day when she happened to glance out the window and saw him. He was standing at the edge of the garden,half hidden by a towering maple tree,the expression on his face was somewhere between uncertainty and irritation. Ester knew at once that he had come to see so it was twenty minutes before she was able to leave the house due to the fact that she had to wait for Margot, the girl who watched the boys for her while she was with Ayana,to arrive. When the girl finally did come Ester hastily said her goodbyes and hurried off,though she took extra care as she went so that she wouldn't be spotted.

By the time she reached him James's impatience was starting to get the best of him.

"well _you_ certainly took your time."

Ester just glared at him "Excuse me?! _You_ turned up uninvited in my garden and you expected me to just skip over?! I had to see to my boys and then sneak into my own garden!"

James seemed to soften up at this "Sorry" he mumbled "I was debating whether to knock on your door but then you saw me so..."

"But nothing! What are you even doing here? I thought I told you we could only be friends."

"Yes,well that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Ester stiffened. This probably wasn't good. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Not here. come with me."

He turned and headed into the forest,gesturing for her to follow. Ester hesitated,a small voice in her head was screaming at her to ignore him,turn around,and go to Ayana's as she did everyday. But another,much louder,voice was telling her to follow him. She chose to heed the second voice and followed James into the forest. They walked in silence for a good long time,through the forest and beyond the village to a small clearing with nothing but a tall tree and some wild flowers. Ester was about to ask where they were when she realized:this was where they had first met.

"...I'm sorry Ester,I can't do this anymore." James pulled her into an embrace and bent to kiss her.

"STOP!" Ester pulled away "We can't,I have Mikael and my boys and you have a family too. We can't..."

James sighed "I know that and I love Cecillia,I do but I also love _you_."

"And how does that make sense? How can you love both of us at the same time?!" Ester snapped.

"I don't know! I just...I just do!"

Silence fell between them and for a moment Ester considered running but before she could James spoke again.

"What about you?"

His question caught her off guard "what about me?"

"Ester, you know what I mean. What are your true feelings? Who do you really love?"

She wasn't ready for that. Why,she wondered,couldn't he just leave things as they were?

"I love..." _Mikael_. She should say Mikael. It was true after all,she loved Mikael she did but his wasn't the name that lingered on the tip of her tonge. She looked away,furious that he was the one who made her feel this way.

"I can't answer that James."

"You can't or you won't?"

"James..."

"The answer _should _be simple. You love your husband don't you?"

"You know I-"

"Liar! I know you have feelings for me!"

Ester,unable to meet his gaze, lowered her eyes.

"I love only Mikeal" She muttered.

James snorted "Then prove it. Walk away and never look If you can't do that then be mine."

Ester knew what James was asking,he wanted her to be his mistress. She should have said no. She should have walked away. She did neither of these things,instead she gave into him because she _did_ love him no matter how wrong it night was the first of many that they would spend under that tree.

* * *

"Hey James?"

"Mmm?"

"What does it feel like? When you become a wolf I mean."

He stared at her in silence for a moment,taken aback by her question.

"Hurts" he grunted "The worst hurt you could ever imagine. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. Were you born a wolf?"

"No. There are certain conditions that have to be met."

"Oh."

Ester lay on the bed she shared with Mikael,naked as the day she was born with only furs to cover her womanly parts. James lay next to her,drinking in her beauty. Her husband was off on one of his frequent hunting trips and wasn't expected back for several days. Her boys were with the girl next door,Ester had convinced her to watch them on the pretense that she was feeling ill and needed a quiet nap.

"What are the conditions?"

"For what?" James was barely paying attention to her questions,his mind instead on what was hidden just beneath the furs that covered Ester's body.

"To become a are the conditions?"

James didn't respond right away,knowing she wouldn't like the answer. "Why do you want to know anyway?"

"I told you,I'm curious. I want to know everything there is to know about you."

He gave her a doubtful look "If you really want to know..."

"Yes?"

"You have to have the gene and to have that you have to be born into a werewolf lineage."

"So you _were_ born a wolf."

"Yes and No. It's not enough to be born with the gene,in order to become a wolf you have to..."

Here he paused,uncertain if he should continue.

"Go on" Ester encouraged him.

He sighed "In order to awaken as a werewolf you have to...You have to kill someone."

James watched as Ester's smile faded and her face paled.

"Then you...?"

"Yes."

"Who?" her voice was almost a whisper now.

"Just someone I fought with once. I wasn't trying to kill him,it just...happened."

Ester was quiet then,James was starting to wonder if he shouldn't have said anything when she spoke.

"I...I don't care if you killed a man. I love you."

With that she pulled him close and kissed him once,twice,three times. James responded to her at once as he always did and the couple lost themselves to passion once again.

* * *

They met as often as they were able,usually under the tree where they had first met or the caves where the villagers sheltered during full moons. It wasn't always easy,not when Ester was expected at Ayana's everyday and had two small sons to care for. James had it slightly easier, he was a woodcutter and it was easy for him to slip away(or so he claimed anyway). In any case they always managed to make it work.

As the months passed they met more and more often,a dangerous move Ester knew but she found that the sense of danger,the possibility of being caught at any time,exhilarated her. Little did Ester realize that once again her life was about to change.

It was August and Ester had missed her monthly cycle for the second time,it wouldn't normally be so worrying(she was often irregular) if it weren't for the nausea and headaches that came with it. Ester was not such a fool as to not realize what such symptoms could mean,she'd had two children already after all,but even so she prayed she was mistaken.

However by September she was certain that she had conceived,but who was the father? True,she had lain with James but she had also continued to be a wife to Mikael meaning that either of them could be the father of her unborn child. Facing this she knew she had to end things with James,no matter how much she loved him she couldn't abandon her family. Elijah and Finn needed both their parents and it wasn't as if she didn't love Mikael.

* * *

It was dusk by the time James met her at their tree. As usual he leaned in for a kiss but she was too preoccupied to enjoy it.

"Ester? What's the matter?"

"...There's something I have to tell you."

James stiffened. "Is it Mikael? Does he know?"

"No..."

Here James noticed for the first time that Ester stood with her arms wrapped protectively around her abdomen and realization hit.

"Ester are you...?"

"Yes." her voice was little more than a whisper and tears were now slipping quietly down her pale cheeks.

"Is it mine?"

Ester sighed "I...I don't know."

Silence fell and they simply stood like that for several moments before James spoke again.

"Run away with me."

Ester stood shocked for a minute before regaining her composure. "I'm sorry James. I can't."

Sadness was etched into James's face. Sadness...and understanding. "It's over then."

It was a statement,not a question.

"I'm sorry!" with that Ester turned and ran back through the woods. She did not look back,not even once.

* * *

**EIGHT MONTHS LATER**

"PUSH!"

Sweat was flowing down Ester's back and from her forehead,her entire body was in pain and all she wanted to do was rest. Unfortunately that wasn't an option just let out a high-pitched cry as she heaved again and again.

"PUSH!" Ayana commanded yet again. Would this never be over?Griting her teeth Ester pushed.

Finally,a little after dawn the baby,slimy with blood,slid into the world with a howl that would've put most wolves to shame.

"You have a son." Ayana cleaned the child and set him into Ester's arms. He was still crying,probably due to hunger and her nightgown off one shoulder,Ester brought her son to her breast. After a few moments he found the nipple and began to 's son had been born with bits of dark blonde fuzz on his head,did that mean that James was his father? Although Mikael had told her that he'd been blonde as a boy and Ester's sister had also been blonde,so prehaps Mikael _was _this child's father after all.

"He will be called Niklaus" Mikael declared when he say the boy,pride and joy shining in his eyes. It was at that moment that Ester swore to herself that she would forget James and never tell Mikael about her Mikeal believed the boy was his then that was enough for Ester,she would live her life quietly with her husband and children,always hoping the peace would last.

Unfortunately for Ester peace would not last,it would all come crumbling down in only 24 short years but that's another story...

**END**

**SO What Did you all think? Good or sucky? In any case I hope someone enjoyed this story. The next story will involve Klaus and Elijah's relationship with Tatia. **

**Please leave a review,creative critism is appreciated!**


End file.
